I have discovered that there is one week in March when I can plant bare root roses. And one week in April when I can plant potted roses. Any other time they die. If I plant in September they freeze to death - even though frost doesn't happen until late October. If I plant in May they fry because by then the ground is adobe - but we still get hard frosts through the third week of April that will kill most small, leafed-out plants.

Wow, a rather daunting challenge to be a rose enthusiast in your area! Ordinarily I can plant almost anytime if the rose is well started in a pot and all winter for bare roots. However the last two winters have been unusually cold and this summer has been completely rainless and DRY; so, for now, all bets are off!

Well, at least I feel lucky that this year we have not been hit by drought. Not a drop of rain in the months of Mar, Apr, May, and Jun, but that is normal weather here. We've had normal monsoon rains and the roses are responding favorably to my daily watering - especially now that its not topping 90F every day.

Steve - when you're done w/the rain, send it my way. It rains to the west, the east, the north, & the south of the D-metro, but not a friggin' drop here! It's like there's an artificial high that prevents rain from falling... I think today it topped out at 98degs. BLEH.

Toni, I'd be glad to.

Well, 74 days if above-normal temperatures and still record lack-of-rain. Blah. But it finally broke on Friday the 2nd with a high of about 68... Felt SOOOOOO wonderful. Plus we got some rain, too!!

Absolutely no rain here, but it's lovely and cool.

Fortunately the roses are all on a drip system, so they're doing well anyway. All 400+ of them.
The late August flush is about over though.

No rain on your side? Looks sure are deceiving because it looks like that area gets rain almost everytime the clouds roll on. I need to do a drip system

I'm in a rain shadow. The clouds always seem to go south or north of me. Just a couple of miles to the south gets plenty of rain and just a bit north does to. But, I usually don't get the hail they get, so that's a bonus.

Drip systems are fantasic. I've had mine in place for about 24 years.

Do gophers chew through the drip system pipes? I am having trouble with my soaker hoses "mysteriously" springing leaks.

I don't have gophers, so I don't know about that. But birds (robins) regularly cut through my spaghetti tubing.

we don't really have gophers here in CO.. we have prairie dogs rather than gophers. Tabby - bet why the robins cut through the spaghetti tubing is that they think it's worms.. let's face it, we don't call 'em bird brains for nothin. LOL.

Porkpal, my understanding is that pretty much any rodent will nibble on soft plastic pipe.

I know this is a little far afield, but when DW and I lived in NJ the "check engine" light went on in our VW Golf. After $300 of diagnostic work the mechanic determined that the vapor return line was not intact. So we paid to have it repaired, which involved removing the gas tank. $1100 later it was all fixed. The cause: a mouse nesting on top of the gas tank had eaten through the vapor return line.

Well, I guess that's it for the season officially. It's snowing in the mountains above 12,000ft. I sit at a bit above 6,000 ft, so the chances of me seeing snow is nil, but one of my maples is fully changed to red (it's soooo pretty!!). It rained all night last night a very soft drizzly rain (the best kind.. the kind that just soaks & soaks) and it's still drizzling now. Which is good because I've got 2 more roses from Cliff to put in the ground (I soak them in buckets w/that superduper stuff Alan suggested.. it works!!) this weekend. But here's from the Denver Post:
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http://www.denverpost.com/brea...

Snow is already beginning to take its seasonal toll on Colorado's high country, as the final five miles of road to the summit of Mount Evans​ in Clear Creek County closed this morning because of snow.

It's by no means a blizzard, but snow in locations above 12,000 feet is starting to pile up, according to the National Weather Service.

The lower nine miles of Colorado 5, the 14-mile scenic route to the top of Denver's nearest 14er, will close in about a month because of the weather, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The snowfall on the mountaintops — a week after the Front Range set heat records — is not unusual after Labor Day. Higher elevations can receive snow year-round, the
Colorado Weather

The opening and closing dates vary because of weather, but the top portion of Mount Evans road also closed the day after Labor Day last year, as well, and had a later-than-usual reopening on May 27, because of abundant snow, according to CDOT.

The route is one of three that closes because of weather each autumn, then reopens in late spring.

There is no closure date yet for Independence Pass on Colorado 82 between Twin Lakes and Aspen, or Trail Ridge Road, also known as U.S. Highway 34, through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Independence Pass closed on Nov. 1 last year, and Trail Ridge Road closed on Oct. 22.

Denver remains in line for cooler, fall-like temperatures this week, according to forecasters.

The high temperature in Denver today was just 76 degrees at 1:24 p.m., about 20 degrees cooler than a week ago. The normal high for the date is 82 degrees.

There is 60 percent chance of rain until midnight, forecasters said.

Wednesday, the National Weather Service predicts a high of 70 in the metro region with rain chances between 20 percent to 40 percent across the region.

Forecasters expect daily high temperatures in the mid-70s until Sunday, when the forecast calls for a high of 80 degrees.

Highs in the 60s and low 70s and lower 40s and 50s are expected over the next week in the high country, according to the National Weather Service.

well lets face it I'm just not that fond of SNOW !! we have been in the 60-70 all week I love that but it means winter is getting close and I have not even enjoyed a bit of it It went so fast
Gloria

Our weather this summer was milder than usual, but because of all the "desert" roses I bought from Cliff, I had to water every single day without fail. The consequences of that choice arrived in my mailbox today -- a water bill of $423. Eek!

OUCH!! That's a RIDICULOUS! waterbill! Wow!!! I'd drop dead from a heart attack if my water bill was that high!

Tonight when DH & I went out, had to put on a jacket for the first time this season. Was 53 degs at 710 this evening.

o-my-goodness I'd have to work 3 weeks to pay that one !!!!! makes me glad I have a well and lake water to water with I'd faint
Its been in the hi 30s and low 40 in the mornings here for a week with frost warnings I AM NOT READY FOR WINTER !!!!

Gloria - me neither ... but winter's gonna be ready for us whether we're ready for him. I couldn't see the mountains this morning, so I dunno how much snow they got. Had to close the window last night .. got too cold. One of my maples is turning bright red (it looks a bit ratty from the extreme summer heat), but my silver maple isn't turning yet (I hate that tree). As I look out the window here at work, I am seeing trees starting to turn brown and the geese are starting to come in on their way south.

Bleh. I'm *SO* not ready for this.. looks like we might have a short fall this year.

We got 1/2 inch of rain on Wednesday and I'm loving the cooler weather. The roses are ending their last flush. I have way too many edibles not ripe yet so there better not be a frost.